Asgaard
|internationalrelations = Asgaard Treaty Archive |forumurl = http://forum.cn-asgaard.com/ |joinurl = http://forum.cn-asgaard.com/index.php?app=core&module=global&section=register |offsitememberlisturl = |ircchannel = #Asgaard |ircurl = irc://irc.coldfront.net/asgaard |othernotes = |statsdate = June 27, 2011 |totalnations = 52 |totalstrength = 3,418,529 |monthchange = |avgstrength = 65,741 |totalnukes = 984 |rank = 39 |score = 12.35 }} '''How Magni became a feller of trees Listen well for I shall tell a tale of the Asgaard who watch us well. Many circles the chariots have run since the day that the change came, but it still resides, nay is burned into the Aesir’s minds. It was a cold night, for something had riled the great eagle, and in his wrath the winds that were his spawn, were made with such a passion that they battered even high Asgaard. As the dwellers gathered in their great hall, since they felt no pressing need to journey that cold night, they turned to warming their toes by the fire, while in turn warming their heads with mead, and filling their bellies with meat. The tenth mug had not yet been lifted to Magni’s lips, and the pouring hands were still steady, when a faint thump was heard at the hall’s great carven doors. Only one or two of the feasters heard the thump, and they thought it was only a bit of snow that is until a second thump came, and this one brought every eye to bear on the still unopened doors. Tyr distracted from deep thought called out for someone to open the doors, with the marvelous speed of the comfortable not one of the gathered moved from his spot. Tyr looked around once more before raising himself with a sigh and with reluctant grace strode toward the doors. If one did not know that company well, then one would think that they were shamed to see Tyr open the great doors unaided, as it was they were quite content to continue feasting during the wait. As one of the great twins was pushed outward against the fearsome strength of the eagle’s rage, a cloaked figure slipped by Tyr and narrowly avoided being crushed by the swiftly following twin. Silence followed as the folk of Asgaard finished cursing the cold and rubbing the snow out of their eyes. Without wasting any time the figure tossed off her cloak and strode over to the blazing fire to melt away the cover of ice and snow that she wore. As chance would have it the cloak struck Loki in the face with a resounding thump, as chance would also have it Loki had been striding forward to offer his greetings and was also about to step over Magni’s favorite hound to do so, when the cloak struck him. With an echoing crash, a resounding yelp of pain, and the following roars of laughter, Loki was anything but pleased to find himself and his new cloak on the floor amongst half chewed bones. Sputtering in outrage Loki rose and strode over to the stranger and demanded to know what her business was in Asgaard, still chuckling Tyr joined Loki and waited to hear the stranger’s explanation. The stranger turned and said that she wished to join the folk of Asgaard. Loki burst into laughter, while the rest of the hall offered up looks of incredulity, and snorts of disbelief. Tyr looked back at Magni to see what he thought of this, but Magni was too busy worrying over his hound to care about something as trivial as someone wanting to join Asgaard. Loki demanded to know why the stranger wanted to join. The stranger simply replied that she had watched the folk of Asgaard and had decided that their company seemed good enough for her to want to make her home there. Loki objected and said that only those who had skill could dwell amongst the folk in Asgaard and that certainly no woman was talented enough to stand alongside the men of Asgaard. While Tyr knew that Loki was doing this because of his fall, he also knew that Loki was right. The stranger said that she was prepared to meet and vanquish any test that they cared to give. Magni finally looked up from his hound and suggested that Loki should be the one to give the challenge, and that Loki should participate in it. Before Tyr could disagree Loki had already made his challenge, for Loki had looked over the stranger’s thin frame and judged that she was no hearty eater, and since Loki himself was known to be one of great hunger he challenged her to an eating contest. The stranger grinned broadly and said she would be delighted to beat Loki at any time he cared to name, Loki was not pleased to see that the stranger was not worried, and said that since he had already dined for the night that they should postpone the contest for a few days, the stranger agreed. For three passages of the chariots they did fast, and not until the fourth morning did they rise with hollow cheeks, and tight belts. All who lived in Asgaard gathered in the great hall that morning, and more than one bet was made on Loki and the stranger. In front of each contestant a trough filled with meat had been set, the rules were simple whoever stopped eating for longer than it took Magni to fell a tree would lose. Tyr drew his sword and yelled for the start, and it had begun. In the beginning there was much cheering and encouragement for both of the contestants, but as the day went on the folk of Asgaard drifted away to entertain themselves with other pursuits, all except for Tyr, a snoring Magni, and the two contestants. For seven days they ate, until both of the contestants’ hands which had moved faster than sight in the beginning, were now moving slower than the living trees. With a grunt Loki attempted to lift a final slab of boar flesh to his mouth, and instead collapsed into his trough, too bloated to move. The stranger grinned in victory and then tumbled into her own trough, Tyr who had watched the two since the contest had begun, shouted out that it was over, and that the stranger had won. All of Asgaard crowded into the hall and all cheered, even those who had lost. With groans of effort the two were lifted onto willing shoulders, and paraded around the hall. When all had calmed down and the two rivals been placed in their chairs again, a hush fell on the hall. Tyr came forward to speak but once again Loki was faster, Loki stretched out his hand to the stranger and smiled saying that any woman that could beat him deserved to be his apprentice. The stranger took the hand laughing and said that she would be content merely as another dweller for now. Tyr welcomed the stranger to Asgaard as a friend and companion, and asked by what name she would be called, and the stranger replied with a grin that by hunger she had proven herself, and by hunger she would be known. And that dear traveler is how the first woman came to dwell amongst the folk of the sky city of Asgaard. Forged By: Cheshire Cat of Asgaard. Charter History Asgaard Foreign Affairs Asgaard Announcements Category:Asgaard